Bacon grease

[Moses Yoder]

Bacon grease is common and basically free. How do you think it would do as a rust preventative? Maybe not so good for tools you use a lot but maybe for long term storage? I have heard of people using tallow.

[Tony Zaffuto]

No good for me! My shop beagle would be licking every tool it was on, then I'd have to take him to the vet for tongue lacerations. Former shop beagle wrecked havoc with hyde glue every time I used it. Any drips on scraps, he would appropriate and it what I was gluing up was within his reach, he would be dragging it out of my shop.

[Bruce Page]

Bacon grease is perishable... It needs to be kept in the refrigerator to prevent it from going rancid.

[Tom Vanzant]

Salt...not good on cast iron.

[ray hampton]

Salt...not good on cast iron.

bacon grease will not work on aluminum or brass much less steel, bacon contains salt

[Halgeir Wold]

Don't know for rust protection, but it's great for moving heavy objects without wheels......
You cut the fatty hide part off the bacon, and puts it under the objects corners or feet, fatty side down. Believe me - it really works! :)

[Jim Matthews]

Bacon grease will rapidly degrade, draw flies, etc.

I would sooner use salad oil for this purpose.
I've heard that Olive oil can be good to keep Chef's knives from rusting.

I would say that a good, inexpensive oil would be mineral oil.

[Dimitrije Stamenkovic]

Bacon grease will actually make your tools rust. Generally it doesn't happen with modern kitchenware because it is made of stainless steel but if you cut bacon or salami with old-time carbon steel knives (the same knives used by chefs) they will rust very quickly if you don't clean them. This happens because bacon contains salt, which speeds up the rusting process.

However if you can get lard or tallow or any pure animal fat you can use it and it works great. In the past people even used badger or bear fat. You can use vegetable oil as well, like olive oil.
I make a paste with lard and beeswax and I use it to protect and lubricate most of my traditional tools, from axes to planes, chisels, saws and even on leather and it works well, but don't get it into mechanical parts because you will make a mess and you won't be able to get rid of it.
Purchasing these ingredients directly from farmers is the best option, they will give you the best quality natural products for a cheap price, much better than buying in the stores.

Animal fat has been used for thousands of years for wood, steel and leather maintenance. It will go rancid but it's not actually a big deal as long as you use it with your tools. I would never use it as a furniture finish or for something very chic, of course.